Additional Info

Service & Repair

Technical Support

1 Week Wonder
Within a week of opening the box, my Powershot (G16) failed, again. because of its fragile lens construction. My former G10 succumbed to 'lens error' after 3 years, the G16, which is noticeable flimsier, lasted a week of light use, handling with kid gloves.
Also, the battery life is much shorter. And the case gets worryingly hot after only an hour's intermittent use.
If you want a camera for cocktail parties and christenings, the G16 is the ultimate tool. But as a practical camera for everyday use, forget it. With less reliance on motorisation, and a simple lens filter thread, it could be a viable option for serious street photography and documentary work. But since it seems to have a design fault, either in the dust seals or the lens blades, or both, it will always be too much worry for the price.
April 24, 2014

Great backup/jacket camera
I had been thinking about getting the G15. and then this came out and was what I was on the fence about between this and the s120. I liked that I could send pics from the phone in real time if i needed to.
I use a pro DSLR as a main camera and it is what i shoot 99% of my work with. but at home its a pain to lug all that stuff around. so this is where this camera shines.
I like that I can shoot a picture of something the kid is doing silly and he is not distracted by a giant lens and I can then throw them up on Facebook or email as soon as i can. no computer, or anything.
When my son had his 1st birthday my parents were stuck in florida. and the whole time they could watch a near immediate stream of photos as it as happening.
What I like is that this has made simple shooting fun again.
one more thing it is funny to see me put a giant speedlight on top of this. it is like those pictures of a little truck hauling a 15 foot high stack of boxes. And about as stable.
I also like that i can use it where the big camera is too big. i was in a tank and i could use this much easier than an DSLR.
April 23, 2014

Great Value!
This camera takes great pictures, period. It also does an excellent job underwater being it has the underwater mode and it doesn't get more natural looking. The hidden benefit is the video. At 60 fps and 1920 x 1080 it is near as real as being there.
Fits in my cargo pants pocket while traveling. Has the same performance and quality as many SLR's without having to carry the bulk.
March 29, 2014

Very good
I upgraded from a lower level camera after a vacation where every shot had something wrong with it. This camera is in the sweet spot between the larger and bulkier SLRs and tiny compacts. I am hard on cameras and I keep it in my pocket so mechanical functionality and hand-fit are key to me. I have large hands and like to use cameras one handed.
The good: Better picture quality hands down. Better camera control, menu makes sense and has the key features. I know every reviewer talks about first shot speed but from my POV this camera is really fast. Very good build quality. Another worry for me was battery life. On previous cameras I only used AA since I tend to get stuck in very remote locations without power. I bought three batteries for this camera just to be sure but one battery lasted my whole trip and that is pretty amazing. Another positive is that the computer does a pretty good job of figuring out what is going on and setting up the picture so AUTO works well. Overall I have better balanced exposures and color. It is also good at figuring out what your subject is and adjusting for that subject.
There really are no cons but lets call them petty annoyances: The bulge-grip in front needs to be a little larger to accommodate one handed use as does the thumb pad in the back, but I have really large hands. I go in and out of my pocket a lot with this camera and I do tend to spin the controller wheels so I have to do a quick looksee to make sure the wheels are right before taking a shot.
Conclusion: I good choice for me. I could not have gone smaller and I don't like bulk on my trips. The photo quality is very good and AUTO covers a lot of ground for the snapshot taker. It has a great feature set I am still exploring. I gave it 4 stars as that is where I place it compared to larger higher end cameras.
December 14, 2013